Reception – Hedgehog

Welcome to Reception, where we have two classes of 30 children.

The unit is split into different areas to allow the children to participate in a wide range of activities across the seven areas of learning.

The children have opportunities to learn both in the classroom and outside in our well equipped Foundation Stage garden.

• In Numeracy we cover counting and comparing numbers, learning names and properties of 2d and 3d shapes, money, position and direction, days of the week, weight and capacity.
• We follow the letters and sounds approach for phonics and use Oxford Reading Tree Scheme for Reading.
• Music – We sing Nursery Rhymes and investigate rhythmic patterns and moving to a steady beat.
• Art – Our art work will involve activities which encourage the children to explore texture and pattern.

Please speak to your child’s class teacher if you would like more information about the curriculum.

• Transition videos for Reception classes 2021/2022 (170KB)
• Reception Curriculum Information Summer 2021 (167KB)
• Information to Help Your Child Start School (1MB)
• Hedgehog Class Children's Booklet (4MB)
• Headteacher's Message for New Reception Parents (200KB)
• Oxford Tree Reading Characters (216KB)
• Wow Template (26KB)
• Wow letter (229KB)

• Jun 182021

  Such a busy week

  In Maths, we continued to use the gemstones to explore doubling, halving and sharing. 

  In Phonics, we practised using and applying our phonic knowledge to read and write words, captions and simple sentences.  We are currently using CVC (cat), CVCC (tent) and CCVC words (trap).  We also follow the teaching sequence: first think about what you want to write, say it out loud, write it and then review it.    

  In PE, we are working on ball skills. 

• Jun 112021

  Pirates

  This week we have started our new topic on pirates. We have enjoyed playing in our new role play area which we converted into a pirate ship. In Literacy, we have thought of adjectives to describe pirates. In Maths we have used gems to explore ‘doubling.’ We have also had fun learning the song ‘Portside Pirates’ and used various tools and medium to create our themed pictures.

  

  

  
  

• May 212021

  Superworm

  This week we read ‘Superworm’ by Julia Donaldson. In our writing we used adjectives to describe worms and ‘Superworm’. In Maths, we continue our learning on ’10 and some more,’ using a range of resources e.g. paper chains, Cuisenaire rods and large lego blocks. In Expressive Arts, we used various skills to create worms including manipulating playdough.

  

  

  

  
  

• May 142021

  Our themed display

  This week we have talked in more detail about the life cycle of a butterfly and sequenced the stages. For our creative challenge we used our printing and cutting skills and worked together to produce this fantastic representation of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar.’

  We also wanted to share with you our themed display that we have been working on this half-term.

  

  

  
  

• Apr 302021

  Story map art

  This week our learning has been based around the story ‘Snail Trail’ (Ruth Brown).  We created a storymap to help us retell the story.  We wrote some facts about snails and explored a variety of art techniques including paper rolling and transient art.

  

  

  
  

• Apr 232021

  Maths

  This week in Maths we have been learning how to find the total of two groups and exploring the different ways of doing this. Strategies include: counting all of them and counting on. We have also been looking at different ways of recording.

  

  

  
  

• Apr 162021

  Minibeasts

  This week we have started our topic: ‘Minibeasts.’ We have been doing lots of exciting activities around the story ‘The Very Busy Spider’ by Eric Carle. We shared the story and created a storymap to support our retell.

  We have been drawing and painting minibeasts. We have also been looking out for minibeasts whilst spending time in our outside classroom. In writing we used our phonics and keywords to write a simple sentence to match the picture. If you are out on a walk this weekend, take a look and see what minibeasts you can spot.  Perhaps you might like to take a picture and upload it onto Seesaw.

  Have a safe weekend. 

  

  

  

  
  

• Mar 192021

  Busy, busy, busy!

  This week in Literacy and Science we discussed the growing process and set up an investigation to see what would happen if our cress seeds did not have the ideal conditions to grow. In shared writing, we wrote step by step instructions for growing our seeds and for our independent writing we used our phonics knowledge to write a list.

  In Maths we explored using the part, part, whole model with practical resources. We focused on using the language e.g. ‘2 is a part, 3 is a part so 5 is the whole’. This helps children to develop their understanding of number and to explain their reasoning.

  

  

  
  

• Dec 042020

  It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

  This week our focus book was ‘Dear Santa’ by Rod Campbell. We used our phonics to write Santa wish lists.  We have been following step by step visuals to draw our Christmas themed pictures.  We have also started to learn our song for the Christmas production. 

  

  

  
  

• Nov 272020

  Night Monkey Day Monkey

  This week our focus book has been ‘Night Monkey, Day Monkey’ by Julia Donaldson. We have been learning different facts about nocturnal animals and have been exploring the features of story books (fiction) and information books (non-fiction).  We have also been following step by step drawing guides to draw and paint animals.